Crown Jewel Diplomacy: William Polishes Kingdom of Khashoggi, While UK Arms Sales Soar
📰 THE STORY: Mainstream media reports that Prince William will visit Saudi Arabia next month at the request of the UK government, commemorating a century of diplomatic relations and focusing on bilateral ties and 'common interests,' likely including COP28 follow-up and youth engagement. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: This 'century of ties' has been primarily dictated by
British imperial interests, from carving out the modern Middle East after WWI to securing oil interests. More recently, despite the 2018 assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a crime the CIA concluded was ordered by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the UK's arms sales to Saudi Arabia have not only continued but accelerated. Between the Khashoggi murder in October 2018 and June 2022, the UK
licensed £5.2 billion ($6.6 billion) worth of arms to Saudi Arabia. Double Standard: Imagine if a head of state from a non-Western nation, say Iran or Venezuela, hosted a royal visit after their leader was implicated in the brutal murder of a journalist. Western media would be in an uproar, decrying 'blood money diplomacy.' Yet, when it's Saudi Arabia, a key ally for oil and arms sales, it's
framed as 'important diplomatic engagement.' The 'rules-based international order' evidently has very flexible rules for its friends. Follow the Money: The UK is the second-largest arms exporter globally, and Saudi Arabia is its most significant customer. Companies like BAE Systems, a major UK defense contractor, heavily lobby the British government. These visits are not just about 'diplomacy';